My new favorite podcast is Radiolab, from New York Public Radio (WNYC). They produce five new episodes each season and they are available to download as a podcast. The show is similar to This American Life, but more scientific in style and without Ira. The latest episode was called “Deception” (lies, liars, and lie catchers).
The first segment was about how to “catch a lie the old-fashioned way: by reading their facial expressions”. Next up was a story about a con woman and the people she used. But the most interesting segment was about lying to ourselves. Back in the 70’s, two psychiatrists “came up with a set of embarrassing questions that they say reveal the lies we tell ourselves”; that people who lie to themselves feel better, and those that see the big picture are typically more depressed. Unfortunately I think that the idea of self-deception to make yourself more successful and happier is very true, which makes me even more depressed!
The survey (pdf) was quite funny, with questions ranging from “Have you ever felt hatred toward either of your parents?” to “Have you ever enjoyed your bowel movements?” to “Have you ever thought of committing suicide in order to get back at someone?”. The basic idea was that you are lying to yourself if you answer no to any of the questions.
I highly recommend this podcast (especially to Alex, Chris and Jamie, and even to Brian, if you can get over the public radio-ness of it), and if you have time, go back and listen to some of the shows in the archive.
2 comments
Comments feed for this article
Trackback link
http://www.east-lake.net/2008/03/podcast-radiolab/trackback/
Mar 15, 2008 at 7:00 pm
The Tube
I caught a piece of this program when they were talking about genetic manipulation — the section I heard was where they discussed crosses between sheep and goats, pigs raised with human kidneys (or was it livers) and a play at the Guthrie co-written by one of the hosts where a college student wants to be impregnated with chimpanzee sperm and allow the fetus to develop in her uterus as a senior project science experiment. Wild stuff. Needless to say, I found it to be an interesting show. MUCH better than “Science Friday.”
Mar 20, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Erica M
I love love love this show. Not only is the content great, I like the production elements as well. It’s catchy. Saw a live taping of an episode at the Fitz last fall.